If you’re in need of something completely different to shake you out of your essay and caffeine-induced stupor, we have two words for you: Eugene Ionesco. You haven’t seen it all until you experience the ‘stream-of-consciousness on stage’ that is theatre of the absurd. And where better to start than with the double-bill of one-act plays currently playing at Hart House Theatre: The Bald Soprano and Jack or the Submission. Written by Ionesco, the father of absurdist theatre, and skillfully directed by Hart House veteran Dan Leberg, these plays are a cacophony of ridiculous dialogue, note-perfect physical humour, random dance, hash brown potatoes, and some truly strange props.
Audience members not used to absurd theatre will find the whole thing somewhat unsettling at first, but once you accept as normal the instantaneous mood changes-INSERT PORTLY FIREMAN DANCING THE CHARLESTON!!!-sorry about that. As we were saying, as you get used to this, the plays begin to make as much sense as the ‘absurd’ can.
The Bald Soprano is the better of the two plays, with the acting ensemble working extremely well together, with much expression and hilarious physical comedy. Lawren Taylor as Mrs. Martin/Bobby Watson and Anthony Reid as Mr. Smith/(also Bobby Watson) filled their excellent performances with controlled yet mischievous mannerisms. Watson maintained good pacing throughout and his stage direction got the most out of his troupe of dedicated Watsons. Er, sorry. Their performances helped the audience accept the free-flowing insanity, even when all semblance of structure fell apart. (As you can tell, you kinda need to follow along.)
As a one-act play, Jack or the Submission was not bad, but on an absurdist bill following The Bald Soprano, it didn’t work very well. Darker and more dramatic, Jack’s main downside was that it had perhaps too much of a story (that is, was too easy to follow). Despite a few random absurdities, the audience that was prepared for more bewilderment was (ironically) put off by Jack’s clarity and structure.
The acting was solid, with Eleni Deacon stealing scenes as Jack’s baby sister, but the ensemble lacked the cohesiveness and collective spark of the Soprano cast. A notable exception was Danielle Meierhenry, who as the saucy maid in Soprano and the emotionally simmering fiancé in Jack, carried off two very different characters with great success. However, she just wasn’t homely enough and possessed too few noses!
The structure of Jack or the Submission did more to make the audience appreciate the sublime wackiness of The Bald Soprano than it did to stake its own claim as an absurdist piece. Overall, however, a strong group of actors carried this double bill and delivered one central message of the utmost significance: “NO! NO! FOUR TIMES NO! I’M NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!”
[Editor’s note: Apologies for this excessive silliness. These reviewers have just been sacked. I’m sure what they meant to say was: “Ridiculous as all this may seem, the most absurd thing would be for you to miss this wonderfully eccentric theatre experience.”]
The Bald Soprano and Jack or the Submission run to March 27 at Hart House Theatre. For more information, visit www.harthousetheatre.ca.
